Web Development Tips (Part 2)

MORE from Web Development over the Past 10 Years. By: Fichter, Darlene. Online, Nov/Dec2005, Vol. 29 Issue 6, p48-50, 3p;

• Aesthetics matter: Stanford University Persuasive Technology Lab (May 2002) had been researching how people assess and determine whether a site is credible. Participants in usability studies often talk about the design elements they prefer or don't prefer during test site debriefing. In their minds, their experience of the site's content and functionality is inseparable from the design...Having a professional and aesthetically pleasing design that supports your library's brand makes a critical first impression on visitors to your site. Make sure you're creating the right first impression.
• Content is King: Despite the common misconception that the steepest hill to climb in developing a new Web site is the visual design or the programming under the hood, it's the content that's most likely to delay the project...spell out who is responsible for providing content from the very start of the project. Make sure that it is an assigned responsibility...Encourage your content providers to put up short summaries and expand them later as time permits.